Noah Lowry

When Pepperdine left-hander Noah Lowry struck out 15 batters Saturday against Santa Clara, he did more than break his personal record of 13 strikeouts against Gonzaga in his previous start. Lowry broke Randy Wolf's school record of 14 strikeouts against Portland in 1997. Lowry, formerly of Nordhoff High and Ventura College, is 9-1 and leads the West Coast Conference with a 1.90 earned-run average.

Noah Lowry is pitching nothing like a 23-year-old rookie. Lowry won his sixth consecutive decision and remained unbeaten in 13 major league starts, and Ray Durham hit a two-run double to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 5-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.

There's no ignoring Noah Lowry now. Overlooked while growing up in remote Ojai, overlooked at Ventura College, the Pepperdine left-hander looms large for the San Francisco Giants, who made him a first-round pick in the baseball amateur draft Tuesday. Lowry elevated his status by becoming the Waves' ace. He was 14-2 with a 1.71 earned-run average and had 142 strikeouts in 121 innings. "My confidence grew this year," he said. "I can throw my curveball and change-up on any count.

There's no ignoring Noah Lowry now. Overlooked while growing up in remote Ojai, overlooked at Ventura College, the Pepperdine left-hander looms large for the San Francisco Giants, who made him a first-round pick in the baseball amateur draft Tuesday. Lowry elevated his status by becoming the Waves' ace. He was 14-2 with a 1.71 earned-run average and had 142 strikeouts in 121 innings. "My confidence grew this year," he said. "I can throw my curveball and change-up on any count.

Noah Lowry is pitching nothing like a 23-year-old rookie. Lowry won his sixth consecutive decision and remained unbeaten in 13 major league starts, and Ray Durham hit a two-run double to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 5-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.

Pepperdine junior Dan Haren was selected West Coast Conference player of the year and Pepperdine junior Noah Lowry was selected conference pitcher of the year. Haren, a right-hander, is 10-3 with a 2.41 earned-run average and batting .313 with five home runs and 42 runs batted in as a designated hitter. Lowry, a junior left-hander from Nordhoff High, is 13-1 with 127 strikeouts in 105 1/3 innings, including a school-record 15 strikeouts against Santa Clara.

Noah Lowry talks straight about his hometown. Nice place. Pretty scenery. But a little on the tranquil side, especially for kids. While growing up in Ojai, Lowry constantly looked for ways to stay busy. Inevitably, he could always count on playing baseball. When he was 2, he was firing balls through the hallways of his home, said his mother, Laurie. Usually for strikes, too, she added.

From the time they were old enough to chew bubble gum, Matt Fisher, Matt Cassel and Conor Jackson have been called baseball wonders. Every step of the way, from T-ball through senior league, they've stood out as all-stars. In youth drafts, they were certain No. 1 picks. If only they had agent Dennis Gilbert to negotiate their pizza deals. Time has flown by. They're now sophomores in high school, Fisher and Cassel at Chatsworth, Jackson at El Camino Real.

Pepperdine can clinch its third consecutive West Coast Conference baseball championship Saturday by sweeping San Diego (30-14, 15-6 in WCC play) in a doubleheader Saturday at Pepperdine. The Waves (31-12, 18-3) will likely start its aces, left-hander Noah Lowry (11-1, 1.77 earned-run average) and right-hander Dan Haren (8-2, 2.48). The teams play the final game of the series Sunday. The Waves, ranked No. 10 in the nation by Baseball America, has an 11-game winning streak, its longest since 1993.

* at San Francisco 4, Houston 0: Ryan Klesko hit his first homer as a Giant and Noah Lowry pitched seven shutout innings. Barry Bonds went 0 for 2 with two walks in his second straight hitless game, still stuck at 745 home runs. * at Arizona 6, Colorado 5: Carlos Quentin homered twice and drove in a career-high five runs, Chris Snyder went three for three and Tony Clark also homered for the Diamondbacks.

Noah Lowry talks straight about his hometown. Nice place. Pretty scenery. But a little on the tranquil side, especially for kids. While growing up in Ojai, Lowry constantly looked for ways to stay busy. Inevitably, he could always count on playing baseball. When he was 2, he was firing balls through the hallways of his home, said his mother, Laurie. Usually for strikes, too, she added.

Pepperdine junior Dan Haren was selected West Coast Conference player of the year and Pepperdine junior Noah Lowry was selected conference pitcher of the year. Haren, a right-hander, is 10-3 with a 2.41 earned-run average and batting .313 with five home runs and 42 runs batted in as a designated hitter. Lowry, a junior left-hander from Nordhoff High, is 13-1 with 127 strikeouts in 105 1/3 innings, including a school-record 15 strikeouts against Santa Clara.

When Pepperdine left-hander Noah Lowry struck out 15 batters Saturday against Santa Clara, he did more than break his personal record of 13 strikeouts against Gonzaga in his previous start. Lowry broke Randy Wolf's school record of 14 strikeouts against Portland in 1997. Lowry, formerly of Nordhoff High and Ventura College, is 9-1 and leads the West Coast Conference with a 1.90 earned-run average.

Sarah Farnworth allowed one unearned run and eight hits in 16 innings as Cal State Northridge swept Cal State Sacramento, 3-1 and 2-0, in a Big West Conference doubleheader Saturday in Sacramento. Summer Richardson hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning of the first game. Her bases-loaded ground ball in the first inning was misplayed by third baseman Mary Villalpondo, allowing Veronica Lopez to score the Matadors' first run.

PITTSBURGH -- Put this down as one of the unexpected moments of Barry Bonds' historic season: a standing ovation in Pittsburgh, the town that once booed him mercilessly because of his playoff failures. Bonds, possibly playing his final game in his former home city, singled in three at-bats as the Giants lost the first game of a makeup doubleheader to the Pirates, 3-1, Monday.